Swimmer&#39;s life buoy



April 3, w J, LUND 2,547,333

SWIMMERS LIFE BUOY Filed March 18, 1948 ATTORNEYS W172?! Jliund Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES arr EFlQE SWIMMERS LIFE BUOY Werner .17 Lund, Staples, Minn.

Application March 18, 1948, Serial No. 15,572

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to the general class of buoys and buoyant swimming appliances, and more specifically to an improved swimmers life buoy fashioned in form and shape of neckyoke that it adapted to support the swimmers head and hold the chin above the water level while the body of the swimmer'is buoyed up or floated in the water in correct swimming position.

The life buoy, while adapted for comfortable and restful use by an experienced swimmer, is especially designed for use by beginners and inexperienced swimmers in supporting the head above the water and thereby enhancing the morale of the beginner. In the physical embodiment of my invention I utilize a minimum number of parts that may be manufactured with facility at low cost of production, and the parts may be assembled with convenience, to constitute a safety appliance that may be attached about the neck of the swimmer with ease, and with equal facility the life buoy may be detached and removed when desired.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts involving the buoyant neck yoke and its detachable fastenin means, as will hereinafter be described and more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and structures, within the scope of my claim without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view showing the life buoy in position for use by a swimmer; and Figure 2 is a rear or back view of the appliance in use.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the appliance as seen from the rear, with the fastening straps or tapes arranged in initial position for fixing the appliance in correct position.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings the life buoy or buoyant float is fashioned as a tubular, inflatable, neck yoke as A, of correct size and shape to slip over the head or around the neck of the swimmer and rest upon the shoulders, with the yoke portions l and 2 in Fig. 3 of reduced dimensions to comfortably fit the yoke on the shoulders of the wearer. In correct swimming posture, the medial portion of form from a fine broadcloth, rubber, rubberized material, or other material that produces an air tight and water tight structure, and the yoke may be inflated by blowing into the mouth valve device 5 attached to an end of the yoke and sealed with a cap, as 6.

For a, quick-detachable fastening and retaining means the yoke is provided with a pair of straps or tapes 1 and 8 having snap fasteners 9, 9 that are connected with rings l0, Iii, mounted by tabs H, H, on the respective rear ends 3 and 4 of the yoke. The free ends of the straps are passed through a complementary pair of rings I2, 12, that are supported from the front of the yoke by tabs I 3, l3, and it will be apparent from the drawings that these guided and retained straps are crossed in front of the chest as well as crossed at the back of the swimmer, then wrapped around the chest, and tied with a knot It, at the front, as shown in Fig. 1. With the crossed straps passing under the shoulders and around the chest, the yoke is stabilized and firmly fastened and held in position about the neck of the swimmer. In this position of the neck yoke, the head of the swimmer is supported above the water, the arms are free for swimming strokes, and the beginner is relieved of the fear of sinking.

The resilient or elastic open end yokes are readily adjustable about the neck of the wearer, and they may be fashioned in various sizes for children and adults, and with difierent buoyant capacities for use as floats.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a safety swimming appliance, a buoyant yoke having a tubular cross-section adapted to be arranged around the neck of the user, so that the yoke lies substantially parallel to the shoulders of the user, said yoke having side portions of reduced diameter, the medial portion of said yoke bein curved for fitting snugly beneath the users chin to support the users head, the rear ends of said yoke being spaced apart from each other, a first pair of spaced tabs extending downwardly, respectively, from rear ends of said yoke, a ring connected to the lower end of each of said tabs, a pair of straps each having a snap fastener thereon and respectively engaging said rings, a second pair of spaced tabs dependingly 3 carried by the medial portion of said yoke, a ring connected to the lower end of each of said second file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS on pair of tabs, said straps being adapted to be r g i ggzfi i, P i crossed in back of the user, then extended 1 096573 Tanaka May 1914 through said last-named rings, Wrapped around 5 1:423633 smith July 1922 the chest of the user, and the free ends of said 1,478:351 oshaughnessy 1923 straps adapted to be fastened together. 1,938,610 Robertson Dec. 12, 1933 l WERNER J. LUND.

FOREIGN PATENTS REFERENCES CITED I m Number Country I I Date The following references are of record in the 34 ,742 France Oct. 27, 1904 

